Miscellaneuns. 353 



HON. NORMAN J. COLMAN HONORED. 



(Letter from Col. J. C. Evans.) 



My Dear Friend Colman — At the recent meeting of the ^lissouri 

 State Horticultural Society, at Neosho, Mo., an interesting history of the 

 Society was presented by Prof. Dutcher of Warrensburg, which brought 

 up many pleasant recollections of the past, in which you and I were both 

 actors. The names of all the original members of the Society were 

 mentioned, and the fact was developed that you are the only living person 

 that was present at the organization of the Society forty-five years ago, 

 and I am the next oldest member. You were the first President of the 

 Society, and it was through your earnest efforts that it was organized, 

 and it has proved a great blessing to Missouri. 



There has been a place of honor provided by the Society for all 

 old-time workers, that of third Vice-president, and such noble workers 

 for the Society as Judge Samuel Miller and Mr. C. \\\ INIurtfeldt, who 

 had both been connected with the Rural World in former years, in the 

 editorial capacity, had been honored by being elected to that position. 

 Both have passed away, leaving that office vacant. 



By unanimous vote of the Society, that office was abolished, and the 

 office of "Honorary Vice-President" was created and you, as the Father 

 ■of the Society, were unanimously elected to fill the position for life. I 

 wish you could have been present at the meeting. I know the kind 

 feeling manifested towards you, and the good words spoken, would 

 have been fully appreciated by yon. It was only the oldest members, 

 tho'^e who have been in touch with you, who have worked with you, that 

 could enjoy it most. Most of our oldest workers have passed away, but 

 you and I, and a few of the old school still remain to do what we can to 

 help along the cause that our Society was organized to promote and 

 which is so dear to our hearts. 



It seems that our tastes run together in another direction. We are 

 both fond of camp Hfe ; delight to get out in the forests, and participate 

 .in the chase and listen to the music of the hounds. I suppose you had a 

 fine time, as usual, this fall in pursuit of deer. This grand sport cannot 

 last long in our State. The march of civilization is fast putting an end to 

 it. It is only we older ones, who have spent many of our happiest hours 



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